Electromagnetic actuator.



H. E. WARREN. ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR.

APPLICATION FILED IAI. 1, I913. 1,252,312. Patented Jan. 1,1918. I

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IN VENTOR.

WITNESSES:

61 4i ay g:

ATTORNEY.

H. E. WARREN.

ELECTROMAGNETICACTUATOR. APPLICATION FILED Mn. 1. i913.

1,252,312. Patented Jan. 1, 191a 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- INVEN TOR.

WITNESSES:

1 I," y 1 By I ATTORNEY.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. WARREN, OF ASEHLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO THE LOMBARDGOVERNOR COMPANY, OF ASHLAN D, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATOR.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed March 7, 1913. Serial No. 752,654.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. WA RREN, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Ashland, in the county of Mlddlesex' andCommonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented Improvements inElectromagnetic Actuators, of which the following is a specification. v

' This invention relates to electro-magnetic actuators and consists ofan improved form of electro-magnetic actuating mechanism for valves,circuit breakers, etc., whereby movement is obtained and the operatingpart of the actuating mechanism is held in either of two positions withthe minimum consumption of electric current.

These desirable results are accomplished by the utilization of theweight of the operating part of the actuating mechamsm, or some externalforce acting thereon, for holding it in one of its extreme positions,and of the residual magnetism which remains in the actuating mechanismafter it has once been magnetized for the purpose of holdlng itsoperating part in its other extreme position.

Movement of the operating part, whlch should be of magnetic material,from the first position to the second, is secured by passing a amomentary electrlc through the coil of an elegtro-magnet, whlch attractsthemagnetic material and holds 1t by the residual magnetism after thecurrent ceases; while movement from the second position to the firstposition is secured by eliminating the residual magnetism through theuse of a demagnetizing coil, which has a momentary current impulse sentthrough 1t. Thus it is only necessary to utilize the electric currentfor an instant, ,to throw the actuator from either of its positions tothe other position, while it may be depended upon to remain indefinitelyin the osition in which'it is left after the current lmpulse has passed.

In the accompanying draw1ngs,

Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the apparatus, withtheoperatmg part arranged to open and close a valve Fig. 2- is a centralvertlcal section, with the operating part arranged to make and breakelectrical contacts; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a diaphragm interposedbetween the magnet chamber and the valve seat.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section of the current apparatus in which asingle coil is used for magnetizing and demagnetizing the magnet a, andthe current through the coil is reversed by means of a switch 8, twobatteries being employed for the purpose.

Fig. 1 shows an application of the a paratus to a valve for thecontrolof flui as for example, illuminating gas, wherein a is an annularelectro-magnet for which there are provided two magnetizing coils b andc. Coil 5 being wound of heavier wire having a lower resistance, is forthe purpose of magnetizing a, while coil 0 of fine wire having highresistance, provides sufiicient magnetomotive force in the reversedirection from b, to demagnetize a.

The armature or operating part of the magnet consists of a flat steel oriron plate (I, which is placed directly below a and held concentric withit by means of a centering cone e or some equivalent device. The valve fis attached to 01 so that when d is down the valve rests upon the valveseat g and the valve is thereby closed; when d is up against the face ofa, the-valve is open. In Fig. 4

the portion of the valve which makes contact with the seat g, is shownattached to the diaphragm q instead of directly to the plate (Z. Asuitable material for the core a is or- "for example, if a is about 2 indiameter and the air gap for d, which weighs about 4 ounces is .02". aninstantaneous upward motion of a! will be effected by an energyconsumption of one quarter of one watt for one half of a second. and forthe purpose of releasing d the application of one eighth as much energyto coil cfor one half second is adequate. At all other times when d isdown or up there is absolutely no electric current consumption.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated an application of the mechanism as a circuitbreaker, thecontact plate It with contact fingers i and k beingsubstituted for the valve parts; otheraserves the double purpose ofcurrent ma be sent through either one or the other 0 the coils b and a,by means of a switch 8, the return from these two coils being through acommon wire o. It is of course, obvious that a single coil, as b, l i 4,could be used in the place of the two coi s c and b the reversal of themagnetizing efl'ect belng then obtained b a reversal of the currentthrough the coi by the use of two opposed batteries 1, 1 and a suitableswitch, as a, but I am inclined to prefer a double coil arrangement onaccount of simpler switches which may be employed.

A resistance 1' may be inserted in one of the battery circuits to weakenthe demagnetizing current.

In Fig. 1 the fluid under control by the valve has free access to thechamber containing the magnet a, but'this access ma be readily preventedby the interposition of packing around the stem 12, or a similar resultmay be reached by the use ofa flexible diaphragm which moves freely upand down with p but prevents fluid from passing by. Fig. 3 shows such adiaphragm at and with the construction shown, the diap ragm reventing eentrance of fluid into the chain er around a and also being interposedbetween the valve and its seat 9, acts as the valve g.

force the diaphragm down against the valve and close it. With thissimple construction, it is feasible to make the valve and diaphragm as aunit, which may be readily replaced.

I claim: An electro-magnet f0" ing with an armature when in itsattracted position, a substantially closed magnetic circuit; amagnetizing coi1 having suflicient ampere turns to cause its core toattract said armature when current flows throu hthe coil, and ademagnetizing coil which as only suflicient ampere turns to cause it tosubstantially remove the remnant magnetism from the core of the magnetwhen said latter coil is supplied. with current at the same voltage asthat of the magnetizing coil, and means for connecting either of saidcoils momentarily to the same source of potential.

\ HENRY E. WARREN. Witnesses:

FLORENCE A. Connms, J osnrnrna H. RYAN.

